We’ve often decried the MSSA’s backwards mentality when it comes to eSports, in that it segregates men and women. This is patently, and inherently stupid as whatever physical differences exist between genders are rendered moot by videogames. Whenever they’ve been taken to task over this, they’ve always pointed the finger at the IeSF. Now that organisation is in trouble over the same thing… and they’ve got nowhere to point fingers. Thankfully though, things are changing.

A recent entry form for a Hearthstone qualifier showed the organisation’s blatant gender biases, by stating that the tournament was open to males only.

This is ridiculous. In a statement given to PCGamer, the information was deemed correct.

“Your information is indeed correct, the tournament is open to Finnish male players only,” said Markus “Olodyn” Koskivirta, head admin of the Assembly Summer 2014 Hearthstone IeSF Qualifier. “In accordance with the International e-Sports Federation’s (IeSF) tournament regulations, since the main tournament event is open to male players only. This is to avoid possible conflicts (e.g. a female player eliminating a male player during RO8) among other things.”

According to the IeSF, Hearthstone is not a game for girls, and this backwards thinking applies to other games. Looking at the list of games in the newest IeSF tournament, here’s what games are available to the two prescribed genders.

It rather implies that Street Fighter is for men, while Tekken is for girls. Girls are also incapable of grasping the finer nuances of Dota…obviously. But why this division in eSports? According to the IeSF itself, it’s all because they’re trying to legitimise eSports by adhering to patriarchal, centuries old dogma.

“The decision to divide male and female competitions was made in accordance with international sports authorities, as part of our effort to promote e-Sports as a legitimate sports.”

The thing is that eSports was born free of this backwards thinking, and trying to adhere to old sporting codes is shoving it right back in there. Our friend, Nag writer Miktar summed it up best.

Digital Sports is not some archaic institution mired in hundreds of years of tradition. It was born free of that shit. Don’t bring it back.

On 2nd of July, 2014, the IeSF’s policy about gender division, which separates the female division and the male division, has been brought into question. The IeSF has listened to the gaming community and has carefully considered their opinions. Upon hearing these concerns, the IeSF convoked an emergency session of the IeSF Board to respond.

As a result, IeSF shall have two event categories: “Open for All” events and events that are reserved for women. The events which were initially set aside as the male division will now be open to all genders, and the events which were initially set as the female division will remain as they were.

The IeSF Board addressed its reason for maintaining events for women, citing the importance of providing female gamers with ample opportunities to compete in e-Sports—currently a male-dominated industry. Female gamers make up half of the world’s gaming population, but only a small percentage of e-Sports competitors are women. The IeSF’s female-only competitions aim to bring more diversity to competitive play by improving the representation of women at these events. Without efforts to improve representation, e-Sports can’t achieve true gender equality.

Now that the IeSF has changed its stance, let’s hope that the MSSA follows suit. Men and women are still competing separately, but at least they’re playing the same games. Baby steps.

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In this article

I'm old, grumpy and more than just a little cynical. One day, I found myself in possession of a NES, and a copy of Super Mario Bros 3. It was that game that made me realise that games were more than just toys to idly while away time - they were capable of being masterpieces.
I'm here now, looking for more of those masterpieces.
I am also the emperor of the backend

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Rince&pop

Erm, so why do they still have a woman only event?

Alien Emperor Trevor

Read the last paragraph of their statement 😛

Rince&pop

My trolling is strong today 😛

Alien Emperor Trevor

Uh huh.

Rince&pop

Uh huh indeed. Already got the Admiral 😛 Oh, going to see apes wielding guns while riding horses that are jumping over flames later today! WIN!

Admiral Chief Fairburne

Right, sure you did, keep telling yourself that

Rince&pop

I will. true is true. Now go lick your wounds while getting that coffee!

Admiral Chief Fairburne

Sometimes I’m glad I’m not in the same city/province as you.

Rince&pop

I am always glad I am not in the same city/province as you.

Alien Emperor Trevor

Too soon.

Rince&pop

Agreed. A normal person would wait for a real reason to get shirty before saying something like that 😛

Alien Emperor Trevor

Have you been dropping acid or shrooms? Not that I care, just want to know how long this nonsensical rambling is going to continue.

Rince&pop

I was referring to Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Alien Emperor Trevor

….okay.

Brady miaau

Yeah, we got you.

Have you been dropping acid or shrooms?

Rince&pop

Not this morning no.

Matewis Jubilai

That last paragraph splits me right down the middle. On the one hand I don’t want to see special female-only events like that since it again implies on the face of it that women/girls(?transition age?) need to have their own events to compete. On the other hand, I suppose an argument could be made that it will be difficult for girl gamers to rise the ranks, since atm a disproportionally strong gaming culture has developed on the male side (since that is the side that has enjoyed all the support up to now – if I’m right?) It’s kind of like if Madagascar were to be allowed into the super 15 rugby series to create a super 20 or something. They would get their asses handed to them every single year, and not because they’re inherently inferior, but because they don’t have the ingrained support structure (I’m guessing here – do they even play rugby?) to identify, mentor and train players with promise. Under such conditions I could understand the need for a Madagascar only championship, to allow for a support structure and rugby culture to develop faster compared to simply being thrown head first into teams that have enjoyed it for generations.

Does this make sense? Or is the setup at the moment too much of a free-for-all for it to make any difference? That is, most everyone is basically skipping school to go and play in the tournament (and their mom has to drive them? – I’m not joking here: that is exactly how I got to my first tournament (Rage, which was then still called Worfair or something) – I got my ass handed to me in Quake 3 (I didn’t land last because I found out where the bfg was) and the best Starcraft player among our group of friends got decimated)

Admiral Chief Fairburne

Utter crap

Alien Emperor Trevor

I don’t want baby steps. Babies shouldn’t be playing these types of games, it warps their fragile little minds.

http://www.twitter.com/WobblyOnion Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim

Baby steps, yes..but It’s still fucking dumb.

Rince&pop

Agreed. It shouldn’t take the community’s outcry to get to this stage.

Brady miaau

indeed it is. Um, so woman still get to play against only woman, if they so choose?

So the next female SC2 champion is not as good as the next woman cause she did not play against the theoretically superior male? Yeah, cause, you know, men rock and so forth.

Note I did read the last statement. I just reckon this is what is going to happen. Some woman, from some place, will win SC2 Womans event and blow the competition away. Then there will be many articles written about how, you know, she is good, just not that good, cause not play against men

https://twitter.com/SaveTheQueenIX Liquid Kaz (Umar)

Quite….Don’t get why a female beating a male or vice versa is considered grounds for separation or exclusion of females

Hammersteyn

Day r stoopid

https://twitter.com/SaveTheQueenIX Liquid Kaz (Umar)

Indeed, sad, the realization that there is indeed a problem when it comes to gender has kind of been reinforced now…

Rince&pop

Yeah man. And then you get certain local orginisations that quote ‘research’ they cannot present to back themselves up…

Hammersteyn

They need a Malema in their organization. Chuckles abound

Rince&pop

Hahaha Eish

Alien Emperor Trevor

It’s just.. it’s just NOT ALLOWED OKAY? WTF MAN. For the same reason women aren’t allowed to compete with men in competitive stamp collecting. Why do we have to explain everything. It’s because actual boobs give them an obvious advantage over weak-willed males.

O_O I’m not sure how I feel now. I came up with what I thought was a completely stupid idea for a competition, but it turns out a number of people already thought it was a good idea. Humans.

Rince&pop

I was going to question your ‘was a completely stupid idea for a competition’ and remind you about humans but you got there! To be honest, when I saw the site, I looked around for the ‘developed by Trevor’ signature but found none 😉

Matewis Jubilai

I kannot duuu enni more kaptain !!

Brady miaau

that is like the most Afrikaans Scotty comment I have ever read. Well done

Two accents and all!

Alien Emperor Trevor

What would have made it even better was if it finished off with, “I dooont hef a jean pant!”

Admiral Chief Fairburne

I darrent hef

Alien Emperor Trevor

Of course we all know why girls can’t play in the SF tournament, it’s because they’d all choose Blanka & spam the electrical attack in the corner.

But it’s still true. As an senior member of any company/organization the last thing a stubborn jackass wants is to have his say revoked. It’s amazing what people can do when they stand together. Not always good things though if we look at the local elections.

https://twitter.com/SaveTheQueenIX Liquid Kaz (Umar)

We tend to go up in arms about Feminists going overboard…Myself included….But this is just a reminder that blatant gender segregation still exists

Kensei Seraph

So what happens If I, as a male, want to participate in the Starcraft 2 tournament?

Admiral Chief Fairburne

You need to show your totti

Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!

Hai sies….

Hammersteyn

XD

Alien Emperor Trevor

Tell that to Castor.

http://www.lazygamer.net Gavin Mannion

Maybe joining up with a patriarchal organisation lke the IeSF who’s only goal is to promote themselves wasn’t the best idea in the end…

Hey but at least this way we we can send woefully underprepared gamers to make a mockery of our country and give some well earned holidays to the MSSA volunteers.

Kensei Seraph

So, do you know if we are sending anyone for the SC2 tournament?
Hopefully we’ll be able to get second place again.

http://www.lazygamer.net Gavin Mannion

lol I’m sure they’ll find someone with breasts to take with to over seas… for gaming.. totally mean for gaming

Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!

Well it’s a step and a step in the right direction too (for a change).

It still bugs me that there is a separate womans devision, as if it means they still aren’t good enough. However I do think it can work to get woman in to the sport and then no one can complain that they are being intimidated or anything by the male players. Creates a “safe” environment for more woman to find their way in to eSports and then compete in the Open Tournaments.

So yeah, all in all this is a feel good story this morning. Thanks Geoff!!!

Anon A Mouse

I personally think the separate womans division is there for those that are scared of any abuse they might receive from the males in the all in division. That’s all I can think off for having a separate division at all.

Did you have to post that link? A sudden mass suicide of brain cells has just disturbed the delicate balance in my brain.

Rince&pop

I apologise. I tried reading it about 5 times, realized it was written in ancient sansbullshitscript, and then wanted to take some shrooms, acid and down them with snakes. I love how a picture of two women are put at the top to add credence to it.

Alien Emperor Trevor

I just wish they’d go even further. I’d love to earn my Protea colours for gaming by just participating. Why does winning have to count? It’s inherently elitist & discriminatory. :/

Rince&pop

Lulz.

Kensei Seraph

I made it through the first 6 paragraphs and realized that all you need to read is paragraph 4 to understand the entire article.

Rince&pop

I mean can you believe the cheek of it?

Kensei Seraph

For those who gave up reading half way through in order to protect their sanity here is a summary:
SA male gamers are idiots who are scared of playing against someone better than them that may or may not be of a different gender.

It’s really strange how I can’t make an anonymous post on that site.

Rince&pop

Yeah, I tried that too, wasn’t allowed to.

Dean

This line:
“This is to avoid possible conflicts (e.g. a female player eliminating a male player during RO8)”

It was a male only event because we don’t want girls beating boys.

Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!

Yeah I saw that too and decided to just let it go because it was such a juvenile statement.

Dutch Matrix

That line had me in fits of hysterical laughter.

Then I read this and gave up on humanity again:

“Mr Pistorius has been severely traumatised by the events that took place,” Roux quoted the report as saying.

Alien Emperor Trevor

Ag shame, poor Oscar, he’s the real victim here. Because the other person is DEAD.

Rince&pop

WINNER

Tarisma

But still I play Tekken Tag Tournament 2, why should I be excluded from that because I have a dick?

Dutch Matrix

They won’t exclude YOU for having a dick, but for being a dick.
*runs*

Tauriq Moosa

The stupid is strong with these ones.

As I said yesterday, you can’t even bring in the “physical differences argument” as used in other sports, since this is a video game tournament. Why not just let their merits as players decide? It’s archaic and weird.

Problem is using the platform of rules established in another area (teh sportsing with balls) and injecting them here shows up how idiotic it is. (Note: Chess allows men and women to compete against each other, as well as having it’s own Women’s Championship title.)

UltimateNinjaPandaDudeGuy

I actually had a debate about this same thing a while ago when someone said there should be female only tournaments. NONE of the tournaments should have those rules. Everyone should be able to join in. If you are good enough to qualify then you can play the tournament!

http://www.lazygamer.net Gavin Mannion

Personally I don’t see anything wrong with havign a female league, but I disagree strongly that females shouldn’t be allowed in the main league.

The idea of enticing more females into eSports isn’t a bad idea, it’s just being done by idiots at the moment who have no idea what they are doing.

UltimateNinjaPandaDudeGuy

What I figured was that you have tournaments with qualifiers. They don’t care who you are. Just come and try qualify.

Then have lower skill tournaments for the people who didn’t make those tournaments. Yet again they don’t care who you are except for the fact that the top tournament guys can’t take part here.

Excluding people based on gender doesn’t really feel all that progressive to me. Everyone should be allowed and everyone should have a fair chance at unbiased tournaments.

Thats_how_I_Troll

I wonder if Caster can compete in the female events…

Weanerdog

Just to check this is the international organisation that held a woman’s world championship that only 2 woman took part in. One of whom had only played a hand full of games.

Weanerdog

Why the LeSF and by extension the MSSA don’t work. I have pondered this for a while and have just reached this conclusion.

They are trying to run esports in the structure of other sporting codes. Take Rugby, IRB is at the top all countries rugby boards belong to it, each country has a board and they are made up of the boards from the regions etc etc until you get down to the players in the clubs. This works because there is only 1 board at the top and they make the rules that filter down. Everyone is working together. All teams are structured to contain the best players that they can in the correct positions. (according to the appointed coaches at least and subject to any government quotas imposed).

Now esports, consists of a huge amounts of different games with different disciplines. There is no one controlling body or board. With different tournaments been run by different organisations. And now you have the MSSA trying to impose the traditional setup onto this animal. This means that the best players are not representing the country meaning that the colours being given out is farcical at best and fraudulent at worst, how can someone get a scholarship based on their national colours if the process of handing out colours in in no way representative of the esports community.

The LeSF is not the world governing body, they are merely an organisation who organises a tournament that they call the World championship.

Unfortunately the MSSA fails/refuses to acknowledge any of these shortcomings, it may be because they are run by non gamers and non esports persons and that they just don’t get the issues or it could be that they actually believe their own MANURE that they spout. But it does mean that they are an embarrassment to our country and our esports community. See Southern Barbarians for relevance.

So how would I fix this if it was up to me. Well it won’t be easy but this would be my plan.

1. Don’t be a Dick
2. Regional boards. Players can register with any region they like. Players represent that board when they play. You get awarded colours only if you are good enough and it is individual not team colours. Have regional tournament for players to qualify for nationals.
3. Align yourself with as many tournaments and organisations as possible.
4. Get the SA flag on all teams competing in international games as quickly as possible by offering help and support so that they join your organisation even if they are playing in a tournament that you have not sanctioned then proceed back to 3.
5. Get proper rules and codes of conduct in place specifically for esports and generic code covering everything from board games to esports is not good enough.
6. You don’t need to be in the same room, city, region to play.
7. Be the organisation that people want to be a part of.
8. See 1.

Jason

Never thought the “patriarchy” buzzword would make its way here.

Johan du Preez

As much as I hate Miktar his 100% right

https://twitter.com/SaveTheQueenIX Liquid Kaz (Umar)

Lol why do you hate him? All he ever speaks about on twitter is Guild Wars and his NAG articles are pretty cool

Andy Anybody

It goes from a patriarchal bias to a matriarchal bias and thats supposed to be an answer we accept? Gaming at that level is merit based women who are good enough will rise to the top just like men. Their answer to this problem is biased its answering sexism with sexism i dont see anybody forcing white people into basketball because black people rise to the top there.